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Outer Darkness #3
Outer Darkness #3
An away mission to a mysterious asteroid leads to the death of a beloved crewman. Too bad death is only the beginning for the crew of The Charon...
29 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 9, 2019
About the author
John Layman
821 books594 followersJohn Steele Layman is an American comic book writer and letterer. Layman is most known for writing Chew, published by Image Comics.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 12, 2019
I'm losing my interest in this one. The story is slowly evolving but not enough for me to continue. I think the episodic nature ( it feels like a tv show) is losing its appeal.
May 23, 2026
Continues to be really good the artwork lettering and coloring is spot on , we start knowing more about the backgrounds and motivations of the rest of the crew!
May 24, 2026
2026 - 365 Days of Whatever Is On My Comic Book TBR
Day 143
Still enjoying this Star Trek meets Lovecraft style book. This one was a bit slow but the story is progressing.
Day 143
Still enjoying this Star Trek meets Lovecraft style book. This one was a bit slow but the story is progressing.
July 29, 2026
The ending of the previous issue left me with a lot to think about. Captain Joshua Rigg had barely begun his tenure aboard the Charon, yet his leadership style had already divided the crew. His willingness to ignore protocol and rely on instinct nearly resulted in catastrophe, and although everyone ultimately survived the encounter in the Damalu System, the consequences of his actions were impossible to ignore. First Officer Alastor Satalis and Ship Administrator Soreena Prakash had reached their limit and were already considering reporting their concerns directly to Admiral Siddarth, believing that Rigg was simply unfit to command one of the Galactic Service's most important vessels. On the other side, Rigg and his trusted advisor Agwe had quietly entertained the possibility of eliminating Alastor if he became too much of an obstacle. That revelation alone made me incredibly uneasy. It immediately raised several questions in my mind. Were they actually serious about removing Alastor? Would their growing conflict eventually split the crew into opposing sides? More importantly, how would these internal tensions affect the Charon once they ventured even deeper into the terrifying region known as the Outer Darkness? Going into this issue, I expected another supernatural adventure, but I also anticipated that the growing conflict within the crew would become just as dangerous as any demon lurking in space.
The cover for Issue #3 immediately caught my attention because of how mysterious and symbolic it looked. Instead of featuring Captain Rigg or one of the terrifying monsters introduced throughout the series, the focus is placed entirely on Corporal Sato Shin. He lies inside a grave shaped like an ancient ankh, his arms peacefully crossed over his chest as though prepared for burial. However, despite his seemingly lifeless pose, his eyes remain open, with strange fluid flowing from them, creating an unsettling contradiction between life and death. Around the grave, broken stones are scattered across the ground while several pieces remain inside the burial site itself, suggesting that the grave has only recently been dug. The muted color palette gives the entire illustration a haunting atmosphere, making it feel more like a funeral than a science-fiction comic cover. Before even opening the issue, I found myself trying to interpret its meaning. Would Sato die during this chapter? Was the cover foreshadowing his fate, or was it symbolizing something deeper connected to resurrection and the afterlife? Knowing how unpredictable this series had already become, I honestly wasn't confident in any of my theories, but that uncertainty only made me even more eager to begin reading.
The story opens with a Galactic Service Report Log narrated by Corporal Sato Shin himself. As a specialist assigned to the USS Charon's Exorcism Division, Sato calmly documents the events surrounding what initially appears to be a routine salvage mission within the asteroid ring of Amano-14. His report immediately mentions that the operation involves newly appointed Ensign Malona Hydzek, another crew member who had recently joined Captain Rigg's unconventional team. I quickly realized that the barren asteroid landscape described in Sato's report perfectly matched the environment illustrated on the cover. That immediately brought my attention back to the mysterious grave, making me wonder if the cover had already revealed the outcome of the mission.
As the salvage team makes its way across the asteroid's rocky terrain, Sato and Hydzek exchange lighthearted conversation. I genuinely appreciated this moment because it gave both characters a little more personality before the action began. Their playful remarks about neither of them being particularly favored by Captain Rigg made me laugh, but it also reinforced the idea that Rigg's reputation among his crew continues to be divided. Some respect him for his determination, while others remain skeptical of his leadership after everything that happened in the previous issue. The casual banter creates a brief sense of comfort, making readers feel like this might actually be a straightforward mission.
Of course, Outer Darkness has absolutely no interest in allowing anyone to feel comfortable for very long.
The moment Hydzek approaches the derelict vessel, everything spirals into absolute chaos. Without warning, a decaying hand bursts out from beneath the asteroid's surface and grabs her leg before another corpse lunges forward and drives a weapon through her body. At almost the exact same moment, additional Dryx corpses erupt from underground, revealing that the entire area had been transformed into an elaborate ambush decades earlier. Before Sato even has a chance to react, one of the undead Dryx attacks with unbelievable speed and slices him cleanly in half. I was completely shocked. I actually had to pause for a second because I couldn't believe how suddenly everything happened. The issue had barely begun, and two members of the away team were already dead. It was such an unexpected turn that it genuinely caught me off guard.
Then the story jumps back two hours earlier to reveal how the Charon ended up at Amano-14 in the first place. Navigator Elox had detected a distress signal originating from the area, leading the crew to investigate what appeared to be an abandoned salvage opportunity involving the long-lost vessel Aldabra. The ship had disappeared more than eighty years earlier, and from the moment I learned that detail, I honestly became suspicious. Personally, if a ship has been missing for eight decades, I wouldn't immediately send people to investigate it simply because of the possibility of recovering valuable cargo. At that point, I would naturally assume that the crew had long since perished. While I understood the temptation of recovering an abandoned payload, I couldn't help but think the risks greatly outweighed the potential reward.
The more information the comic revealed, the more frustrated I became with Captain Rigg's decision-making. The Crone had already sensed that something about the asteroid felt wrong, describing it as "dead," which should have immediately raised concerns. Looking back, that statement feels like the first major warning sign the crew overlooked. Sometimes I genuinely struggle with Rigg's leadership because he consistently chooses to trust his instincts while ignoring equally important warnings from the specialists around him. To be fair, he did instruct the away team to retreat if anything seemed suspicious, showing that he wasn't completely careless. Even so, I couldn't shake the feeling that the mission should never have happened in the first place.
Returning to the present, First Officer Alastor reports that two casualties have been confirmed, and it quickly becomes obvious that the victims are Sato and Hydzek. Thankfully, Alastor successfully contains the Dryx attack before the situation escalates even further. Once again, I found myself appreciating how competent he is under pressure. Throughout the series so far, Alastor has consistently demonstrated level-headed leadership whenever Captain Rigg's decisions place the crew in danger. Every issue makes me understand more clearly why so many officers continue to trust him.
What surprised me next was Rigg's immediate reaction. Frustrated by the failed mission, he lashes out at the Crone, seemingly blaming her for not foreseeing the ambush. Honestly, I didn't think that was fair at all. The Dryx had deliberately concealed themselves using magical runes specifically designed to hide their presence. Even someone gifted with supernatural abilities wouldn't necessarily detect something intentionally hidden through occult means. More importantly, it wasn't the Crone who decided to send the salvage team into a potentially dangerous location. That responsibility ultimately rested with Rigg himself.
The disagreement between Rigg and Alastor only becomes more intense from there. Alastor argues that the crew should simply report the deaths as acceptable losses and continue their primary mission. Surprisingly, I found myself agreeing with him, even though his position initially sounds heartless. The rescue mission assigned by Galactic Service is supposed to be their highest priority, and risking the entire expedition to recover two fallen crew members could potentially endanger everyone aboard the Charon. Rigg, however, refuses to accept their deaths. He clearly doesn't want to report to Galactic Service that he has already lost two people before the real mission has even begun. While I admire his loyalty to his crew, part of me also wanted to remind him about accountability. Sometimes accepting failure is part of being a captain, even when that failure hurts.
Thankfully, this is where Outer Darkness once again reminds readers that death operates very differently within its universe.
Agwe checks Sato's personnel records and casually reveals that Sato has already been resurrected six times before—and remarkably, he isn't even insured. That revelation genuinely surprised me because it completely changes how death functions in this world. Rather than serving as an irreversible ending, death becomes another obstacle that can sometimes be overcome, provided the crew acts quickly enough.
The mathematicians eventually determine the exact location of the fallen crew members' souls drifting through the spiritual realm. The comic visualizes them as glowing skull-like spirits surrounded by eerie green flames floating through the endless darkness of space. I absolutely loved this imagery because it blends fantasy, horror, and science fiction into one unforgettable visual. Instead of simply treating souls as invisible spiritual concepts, the series gives them physical presence that can be tracked, located, and ultimately recovered.
Captain Rigg immediately orders the soul retrieval operation. Watching engineers, exorcists, morticians, mathematicians, and religious specialists work together to recover Sato and Hydzek perfectly demonstrates what makes Outer Darkness such a fascinating universe. Advanced technology alone cannot solve every problem, nor can magic independently accomplish everything. Instead, both disciplines work together as equal partners. The morticians prepare resurrection procedures while spiritual specialists guide the recovered souls back into their bodies. Thankfully, the operation succeeds, allowing both crew members to return to life.
Even after everything is over, Rigg simply orders Elox to resume their original course as though the mission never happened. Agwe points out that Rigg has almost certainly violated numerous Galactic Service regulations by using valuable time, personnel, and resources to resurrect uninsured crew members. Once again, however, Rigg doesn't seem particularly concerned about rules. His priority has always been protecting the people under his command, even if doing so repeatedly places his own career in jeopardy. I honestly admire that aspect of his personality, even though I still disagree with many of his methods. Agwe is also right in observing that Rigg's decisions could either save everyone or ultimately get them all killed. At this point, either outcome feels equally possible.
The final portion of the issue quietly shifts its attention toward the psychological effects of resurrection. Prakash visits Sato to check on his condition while expressing concern for Hydzek, who has never experienced resurrection before. Since Sato has already returned from death multiple times, Prakash believes he may be the best person to help Hydzek process what she has just experienced. I actually thought this was a thoughtful decision because Sato understands something that very few people possibly could.
During their conversation, however, Sato behaves strangely. When Prakash asks whether he has any secrets, he calmly denies it. On the surface, everything appears perfectly normal.
Then the comic delivers one of its creepiest endings yet.
Back inside his cabin, Sato removes a blade and begins carving strange symbols into his own body. Surrounding him are horrifying demonic faces with glowing red eyes silently watching from the darkness, while Sato himself wears an unsettling grin that immediately tells readers something is terribly wrong. The entire sequence unfolds almost without explanation, making it even more disturbing. I simply stared at those final pages wondering what exactly had returned with him from the afterlife. Was Sato truly resurrected, or had something else come back wearing his body? It was an incredibly effective cliffhanger that left me genuinely uncomfortable.
Looking back at the cover afterward, I began appreciating it much more. The grave shaped like an ankh wasn't merely foreshadowing Sato's physical death. Instead, it symbolized the far more complicated relationship between death, resurrection, and identity that this issue explores. Although Sato technically survives, the person who returns may no longer be the exact same individual who originally died. That realization gives the cover an entirely different meaning.
Overall, Outer Darkness Issue #3 continues expanding the mythology of its universe while introducing one of the most fascinating concepts in the series so far: death itself is not absolute, but escaping it comes with consequences that may be even more terrifying. The issue successfully balances horror, mystery, action, and world-building while continuing to develop the complicated dynamics among the crew of the Charon. Captain Rigg remains one of the most divisive protagonists I've encountered in comics. There are moments when I completely understand his determination to save every member of his crew, and there are other moments when I find myself siding entirely with Alastor because Rigg's stubbornness repeatedly creates unnecessary danger. That moral tension continues to be one of the strongest aspects of the series.
More importantly, this chapter leaves me with an entirely new set of questions. What exactly happened to Sato while his soul drifted through the afterlife? Why was he carving mysterious symbols into his own flesh? What were the demonic faces watching him from the darkness? And if resurrection can fundamentally change a person, how many other members of the Charon are no longer exactly who they used to be? With every issue, Outer Darkness reveals another horrifying layer of its universe, and after this unsettling conclusion, I'm more eager than ever to continue the journey and uncover the terrifying secrets waiting deeper within the Outer Darkness.
The cover for Issue #3 immediately caught my attention because of how mysterious and symbolic it looked. Instead of featuring Captain Rigg or one of the terrifying monsters introduced throughout the series, the focus is placed entirely on Corporal Sato Shin. He lies inside a grave shaped like an ancient ankh, his arms peacefully crossed over his chest as though prepared for burial. However, despite his seemingly lifeless pose, his eyes remain open, with strange fluid flowing from them, creating an unsettling contradiction between life and death. Around the grave, broken stones are scattered across the ground while several pieces remain inside the burial site itself, suggesting that the grave has only recently been dug. The muted color palette gives the entire illustration a haunting atmosphere, making it feel more like a funeral than a science-fiction comic cover. Before even opening the issue, I found myself trying to interpret its meaning. Would Sato die during this chapter? Was the cover foreshadowing his fate, or was it symbolizing something deeper connected to resurrection and the afterlife? Knowing how unpredictable this series had already become, I honestly wasn't confident in any of my theories, but that uncertainty only made me even more eager to begin reading.
The story opens with a Galactic Service Report Log narrated by Corporal Sato Shin himself. As a specialist assigned to the USS Charon's Exorcism Division, Sato calmly documents the events surrounding what initially appears to be a routine salvage mission within the asteroid ring of Amano-14. His report immediately mentions that the operation involves newly appointed Ensign Malona Hydzek, another crew member who had recently joined Captain Rigg's unconventional team. I quickly realized that the barren asteroid landscape described in Sato's report perfectly matched the environment illustrated on the cover. That immediately brought my attention back to the mysterious grave, making me wonder if the cover had already revealed the outcome of the mission.
As the salvage team makes its way across the asteroid's rocky terrain, Sato and Hydzek exchange lighthearted conversation. I genuinely appreciated this moment because it gave both characters a little more personality before the action began. Their playful remarks about neither of them being particularly favored by Captain Rigg made me laugh, but it also reinforced the idea that Rigg's reputation among his crew continues to be divided. Some respect him for his determination, while others remain skeptical of his leadership after everything that happened in the previous issue. The casual banter creates a brief sense of comfort, making readers feel like this might actually be a straightforward mission.
Of course, Outer Darkness has absolutely no interest in allowing anyone to feel comfortable for very long.
The moment Hydzek approaches the derelict vessel, everything spirals into absolute chaos. Without warning, a decaying hand bursts out from beneath the asteroid's surface and grabs her leg before another corpse lunges forward and drives a weapon through her body. At almost the exact same moment, additional Dryx corpses erupt from underground, revealing that the entire area had been transformed into an elaborate ambush decades earlier. Before Sato even has a chance to react, one of the undead Dryx attacks with unbelievable speed and slices him cleanly in half. I was completely shocked. I actually had to pause for a second because I couldn't believe how suddenly everything happened. The issue had barely begun, and two members of the away team were already dead. It was such an unexpected turn that it genuinely caught me off guard.
Then the story jumps back two hours earlier to reveal how the Charon ended up at Amano-14 in the first place. Navigator Elox had detected a distress signal originating from the area, leading the crew to investigate what appeared to be an abandoned salvage opportunity involving the long-lost vessel Aldabra. The ship had disappeared more than eighty years earlier, and from the moment I learned that detail, I honestly became suspicious. Personally, if a ship has been missing for eight decades, I wouldn't immediately send people to investigate it simply because of the possibility of recovering valuable cargo. At that point, I would naturally assume that the crew had long since perished. While I understood the temptation of recovering an abandoned payload, I couldn't help but think the risks greatly outweighed the potential reward.
The more information the comic revealed, the more frustrated I became with Captain Rigg's decision-making. The Crone had already sensed that something about the asteroid felt wrong, describing it as "dead," which should have immediately raised concerns. Looking back, that statement feels like the first major warning sign the crew overlooked. Sometimes I genuinely struggle with Rigg's leadership because he consistently chooses to trust his instincts while ignoring equally important warnings from the specialists around him. To be fair, he did instruct the away team to retreat if anything seemed suspicious, showing that he wasn't completely careless. Even so, I couldn't shake the feeling that the mission should never have happened in the first place.
Returning to the present, First Officer Alastor reports that two casualties have been confirmed, and it quickly becomes obvious that the victims are Sato and Hydzek. Thankfully, Alastor successfully contains the Dryx attack before the situation escalates even further. Once again, I found myself appreciating how competent he is under pressure. Throughout the series so far, Alastor has consistently demonstrated level-headed leadership whenever Captain Rigg's decisions place the crew in danger. Every issue makes me understand more clearly why so many officers continue to trust him.
What surprised me next was Rigg's immediate reaction. Frustrated by the failed mission, he lashes out at the Crone, seemingly blaming her for not foreseeing the ambush. Honestly, I didn't think that was fair at all. The Dryx had deliberately concealed themselves using magical runes specifically designed to hide their presence. Even someone gifted with supernatural abilities wouldn't necessarily detect something intentionally hidden through occult means. More importantly, it wasn't the Crone who decided to send the salvage team into a potentially dangerous location. That responsibility ultimately rested with Rigg himself.
The disagreement between Rigg and Alastor only becomes more intense from there. Alastor argues that the crew should simply report the deaths as acceptable losses and continue their primary mission. Surprisingly, I found myself agreeing with him, even though his position initially sounds heartless. The rescue mission assigned by Galactic Service is supposed to be their highest priority, and risking the entire expedition to recover two fallen crew members could potentially endanger everyone aboard the Charon. Rigg, however, refuses to accept their deaths. He clearly doesn't want to report to Galactic Service that he has already lost two people before the real mission has even begun. While I admire his loyalty to his crew, part of me also wanted to remind him about accountability. Sometimes accepting failure is part of being a captain, even when that failure hurts.
Thankfully, this is where Outer Darkness once again reminds readers that death operates very differently within its universe.
Agwe checks Sato's personnel records and casually reveals that Sato has already been resurrected six times before—and remarkably, he isn't even insured. That revelation genuinely surprised me because it completely changes how death functions in this world. Rather than serving as an irreversible ending, death becomes another obstacle that can sometimes be overcome, provided the crew acts quickly enough.
The mathematicians eventually determine the exact location of the fallen crew members' souls drifting through the spiritual realm. The comic visualizes them as glowing skull-like spirits surrounded by eerie green flames floating through the endless darkness of space. I absolutely loved this imagery because it blends fantasy, horror, and science fiction into one unforgettable visual. Instead of simply treating souls as invisible spiritual concepts, the series gives them physical presence that can be tracked, located, and ultimately recovered.
Captain Rigg immediately orders the soul retrieval operation. Watching engineers, exorcists, morticians, mathematicians, and religious specialists work together to recover Sato and Hydzek perfectly demonstrates what makes Outer Darkness such a fascinating universe. Advanced technology alone cannot solve every problem, nor can magic independently accomplish everything. Instead, both disciplines work together as equal partners. The morticians prepare resurrection procedures while spiritual specialists guide the recovered souls back into their bodies. Thankfully, the operation succeeds, allowing both crew members to return to life.
Even after everything is over, Rigg simply orders Elox to resume their original course as though the mission never happened. Agwe points out that Rigg has almost certainly violated numerous Galactic Service regulations by using valuable time, personnel, and resources to resurrect uninsured crew members. Once again, however, Rigg doesn't seem particularly concerned about rules. His priority has always been protecting the people under his command, even if doing so repeatedly places his own career in jeopardy. I honestly admire that aspect of his personality, even though I still disagree with many of his methods. Agwe is also right in observing that Rigg's decisions could either save everyone or ultimately get them all killed. At this point, either outcome feels equally possible.
The final portion of the issue quietly shifts its attention toward the psychological effects of resurrection. Prakash visits Sato to check on his condition while expressing concern for Hydzek, who has never experienced resurrection before. Since Sato has already returned from death multiple times, Prakash believes he may be the best person to help Hydzek process what she has just experienced. I actually thought this was a thoughtful decision because Sato understands something that very few people possibly could.
During their conversation, however, Sato behaves strangely. When Prakash asks whether he has any secrets, he calmly denies it. On the surface, everything appears perfectly normal.
Then the comic delivers one of its creepiest endings yet.
Back inside his cabin, Sato removes a blade and begins carving strange symbols into his own body. Surrounding him are horrifying demonic faces with glowing red eyes silently watching from the darkness, while Sato himself wears an unsettling grin that immediately tells readers something is terribly wrong. The entire sequence unfolds almost without explanation, making it even more disturbing. I simply stared at those final pages wondering what exactly had returned with him from the afterlife. Was Sato truly resurrected, or had something else come back wearing his body? It was an incredibly effective cliffhanger that left me genuinely uncomfortable.
Looking back at the cover afterward, I began appreciating it much more. The grave shaped like an ankh wasn't merely foreshadowing Sato's physical death. Instead, it symbolized the far more complicated relationship between death, resurrection, and identity that this issue explores. Although Sato technically survives, the person who returns may no longer be the exact same individual who originally died. That realization gives the cover an entirely different meaning.
Overall, Outer Darkness Issue #3 continues expanding the mythology of its universe while introducing one of the most fascinating concepts in the series so far: death itself is not absolute, but escaping it comes with consequences that may be even more terrifying. The issue successfully balances horror, mystery, action, and world-building while continuing to develop the complicated dynamics among the crew of the Charon. Captain Rigg remains one of the most divisive protagonists I've encountered in comics. There are moments when I completely understand his determination to save every member of his crew, and there are other moments when I find myself siding entirely with Alastor because Rigg's stubbornness repeatedly creates unnecessary danger. That moral tension continues to be one of the strongest aspects of the series.
More importantly, this chapter leaves me with an entirely new set of questions. What exactly happened to Sato while his soul drifted through the afterlife? Why was he carving mysterious symbols into his own flesh? What were the demonic faces watching him from the darkness? And if resurrection can fundamentally change a person, how many other members of the Charon are no longer exactly who they used to be? With every issue, Outer Darkness reveals another horrifying layer of its universe, and after this unsettling conclusion, I'm more eager than ever to continue the journey and uncover the terrifying secrets waiting deeper within the Outer Darkness.
January 9, 2019
The episodic nature of this continues to serve itself incredibly well. There's ties to previous plot threads. There's new ones dropped. Everything this series does hits me just right and I really loathe waiting a whole month for the next hit. Especially when, as the letter's column states, issue #4 is the creative team's favourite. THEN IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE MY FAVOURITE TOO GIVE IT TO ME NOW!?!!!?!
45/50
45/50
February 17, 2019
Another fascinating chapter in this story. You get to know Sato Shin in this issue, which was great because I was wondering about him when I saw his photo on the crew lineup graphic. His history is super interesting and I think he'll be a character to keep an eye on as the story progresses. You also learn more about the Captain's intentions for his mission and he seems like a bit of a cowboy. Looking forward to more in #4!
March 25, 2019
I've really been enjoying this series. This issue was a little confusing at times, which brought my rating down slightly. On another note, the decision to have yellow print on orange background for the front credits page makes it difficult to read, but the letter page with the same color combination and smaller print was so difficult that I didn't even try (and I tend to like letters columns!) It may look neat, but if it isn't easily legible, it defeats the purpose!
January 21, 2019
Wow. The world-building in this universe just keeps getting better and better. The horror elements are really starting to come out and I am 100% on board. I also really love how each of these comics feels complete on their own, but also feeds well into the entire series. So far none of the single issues have felt like fillers. Cannot wait for issue #4!
July 3, 2019
While trying to salvage some precius cargo, two crew men die. But death is not always the end... This blend of sci-fi and the occult is starting to grow on me but the story has yet to unfold.
January 4, 2026
The plot goes on.
The story keeps unfolding, and we learn a bit more about these characters. This is completely different than any other sci fi comics I've read.
The story keeps unfolding, and we learn a bit more about these characters. This is completely different than any other sci fi comics I've read.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews